This past weekend, on June 26th, Jon and I celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary. I got to thinking about it, and Jon and I have been together (either dating or married) for almost half of our lives. I was 14 (just a few days before 15) when we start dating and now I'm 28! Isn't that crazy?! I look at these pictures and think back to the feelings that I had that day that we were married! We were both excited beyond imagination and completely oblivious to all that marriage entails! God is gracious and still teaches us new things about marriage everyday! It's great to know that even through tough times, God is merciful! We look forward to all that He has to teach us in the years to come!

Checking on the baby birds

We had a bird to build a nest in one of our hanging ferns several weeks ago. Jon and Mary-Evelyn checked on the eggs every day, and they finally hatched this week. All Jon has to say is, "wanna go see the baby birds," and ME goes running to the front door. Here you see daddy letting her take a peek in.

Liza Kate, the Softball Slugger

Thursday night, we went to see Liza Kate play in one of her last softball games. Mary-Evelyn had so much fun but wasn't quite sure what to think about LK in her face shield. LK can play any position they need her in. She's so talented! We're so proud of you, Liza Kate!

At the Beauty Shop

Mary-Evelyn usually goes with me to get my hair done. She is so patient while I get it cut and highlighted, but you can imagine that a 16-month old can get a little impatient after 2 hours of this! Thanks, MiMi for going with us and helping out!

Welcome to our *NEW* blog

I decided that I would get creative and make a cute blog this time. I figured it out on my own and can't wait to keep it up this time (we'll see)! Last time I did this, I updated it about oh every 6-8 months or so, and well when you have a little one, that just doesn't cut it - they change way too much in short amounts of time! I know this is a great way to keep everyone up to date on what happening in the Maynard household, so I'll do my best not to just let it go this time! Hope you enjoy!

Mary-Evelyn is now 16 months old and words cannot express how crazy we are about her! She is a sweet, well-adjusted baby and so friendly (she never meets a stranger)! My mom reminds me often of how blessed we are to have such a sweet and easy baby! Thank you, Lord! She is talking a lot - some of her words include baba (for her cup), baby (she loves her doll), oosh (shoe), lawn mower, ball, stick, and many more. We do the this nusery rhyme a lot and she knows how to respond. One, two, buckle my "oosh" (her response). Three, four close the "doh." Five, six, pick up "sticks!" She has recently learned how to drink out of a straw, so that's all she wants to do if we go out to eat. She's a very technical little girl. My dad says this is like Jon. Anything she gets, she either takes it apart or really studies it to figure out how it works. Decide for yourself who she looks like. I think that is no question, but most people say that they can maybe see a little bit of me in her!